This study was carried out to investigate the residual sulfur dioxide residues (SO2) in commercial medicinal herbs in Korea in 2013. Among a total of 116 samples of 11 different kinds of herbs, 71 samples (11 Kinds) were domestic, and 45 samples (10 Kinds) were imported. The residual contents of SO2 in the samples were determinated by a modified Monier-Williams method. Of the 116 samples, 6 samples (5.2%, 4 Kinds) failed to meet the regulations for sulfur dioxide residues of KFDA in medicinal herbs. Among 6 unsuitable samples, 1 samples (1.4%) were domestic, and 5 samples (11.1%, 3 Kinds) were imported. The highest amount of sulfur dioxide residues was 1546.3 mg/kg (Lycii Fructus) in the domestic samples. Regardless of region, SO2 contents were not found at Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, Citri Unshius Pericarpium, Eucommiae Cortex, Forsythiae Fructus, Gardeniae Fructus, Leonuri Herba and Lonicerae Folium et caulis. These data will be used as a basic data for the future legislation on the regulation and control of sulfur dioxide of herbal medicines.

본 연구는 총 여덟 가지 실외원예활동 동작의 운동학 및 운동역학적 특성을 분석하기 위해 수행되었다; 땅고르기, 땅파기, 종자파종, 모종 심기, 근거리 잡초뽑기, 원거리 잡초뽑기, 저위치 수확하기, 고위치 수확하기. 20대 남자 대학생 총 24명(평균 연령 : 23.4 ± 2.93세)이 본 연 구에 참여하였다. 삼차원 동작분석 시스템(Qualisys Track Manager 2.7 build 783)과 지면반력기기(Kistler Instruments)를 이용하여 무게 중심, 관절각도와 같은 운동학적 요인과 지면반력, 압력중심, 관절모멘트와 같은 운동역학적 요인을 측정하였다. 또한 표면 근전도기기 (Desktop DTS)를 이용하여 총 16개 양측 몸통과 하지근육의 근육활성도를 측정하였다. 그 결과 총 여덟 가지의 실외원예활동 동작은 1) 한 발 내딛기(예 : 땅고르기, 땅파기), 2) 쭈그려 앉기(예 : 종자파종, 모종심기, 근거리 잡초뽑기, 원거리 잡초뽑기), 3) 허리 구부리기(예 : 저위 치 수확하기, 고위치 수확하기)로 구분되었다. 각 동작은 다시 세 개 또는 네 개의 구간으로 세분화되었다. 원예활동 동작 수행 시 무게중심 은 전·후 방향과 상·하 방향으로 이동하였다. 전·후 방향으로 무게중심 이동이 가장 많은 원예활동은 땅고르기였고, 상·하 방향으로 가장 많은 무게중심 이동이 나타나는 원예활동은 종자파종이었다(p = 0.001). 무게중심 이동으로 불안정해진 신체균형을 유지하기 위한 보상적 움직임으로 지면반력 발생, 압력중심 이동, 하지 관절과 근육의 결합운동이 발생했다. 총 여덟 가지 실외원예활동은 원예활동 수행방법에 따라 운동학 및 운동역학적 특성의 차이를 보였다(p = 0.05). 따라서 본 연구의 결과는 노인과 재활환자의 균형감 향상을 위한 원예치료 프 로그램 개발 시 유용한 기초자료로서 활용되어 질 것이다.

This study was conducted to investigate awareness and needs for care farming in South Korea. A questionnaire that includes 20 questions was developed for this study. The survey was answered by the 1,302 respondents who lived in the six cities such as Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon, Daegu, Ulsan, and Gwangju in the period of October 2016. The respondents who were aged over 20 years were recruited by a convenience sampling method. As the results, 50.4% and 40.1% of the respondents reported ‘Know nothing’ and ‘Know of care farming’, respectively. The experience for participating in care farming was low (29.0%). The purposes of participating in care farming reported as experience (31.4%), leisure (25.0%), and education (21.0%). Frequency of visiting for care farming complex was daily (44.3%) and 1 night 2days-3nights 4days (32.9%). Moreover, 67.7% of potential consumers had intention of paying the care farming fee. The acceptable fee reported as an average 11,339 won per day. In addition, needs for care farming complex was very high in the respondents with or without disease. The present study is anticipated to support the needs for care farming complex and provides reference data for administers in care farming.

Background : Ganoderma lucidum is a non-toxic, medicinal mushroom, which is known to possess anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating activities. However, the effects and mechanism of action of Ganoderma lucidum on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production and its-related cytokine expression are not yet fully understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Ganoderma lucidum on NO production and NO-mediated pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in LPS/IFN-γ-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage-like cells. Methods and Results : The results showed that Ganoderma lucidum inhibited inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression of RAW 264.7 macrophage-like cells at non-cytotoxic concentrations probably through the reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. After pre-treatment of cells with non-toxic doses of Ganoderma lucidum; NO production was significantly decreased. Moreover, Ganoderma lucidum treatment suppressed LPS/IFN-γ -stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, including interleukin-1β and interleukin-6, in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion : Taken together, these results indicate that the anti-inflammatory activation of Ganoderma lucidum in LPS/IFN-γ-stimulated macrophages might be due to abrogation of NO-dependent cytokine release by impairment of iNOS expression via ROS generation.

The Ponciri fructus immaturus (Poncirus trifoliata Rafinesque) has been used in oriental medicine for uterinecontraction, stomachache, abdominal distension and cardiovascular diseases. Two main compounds, poncirin and naringinwere successfully analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and carried out method validation accordingto ICH guideline. A successful resolution and retention times were obtained with a C18 reversed phase column, at an 1㎖min−¹ flow rate, with a gradient elution of a mixture of methanol, water and acetonitrile. Poncirin and naringin showed goodlinearity (R²>0.999) in relatively wide concentration ranged. The recovery of each compound was 95.81~101.48% withR.S.D. values less than 1.0%. The application of ultrasound-assisted extraction was shown to be more efficient in extractingponcirin and naringin from Ponciri fructus immaturus. The predicted optimal poncirin and naringin yield were poncirin2.15%, naringin 1.65% under an extraction temperature of 40℃, an extraction time of 10 min in a solvent of 70% methanol.

This study was conducted to investigate the residual contents of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in commercial medicinal herbs in Korea in 2012. Among a total of 136 samples of 16 different kinds of herbs, 86 samples (15 Kinds) were domestic, and 50 samples (14 Kinds) were imported. Sulfur dioxide in the samples was measured by a modified Monier-Williams method. Of the 136 samples, 17 samples (12.5%, 6 Kinds) failed to meet the regulations for sulfur dioxide residues of KFDA in medicinal herbs. Among 17 unsuitable samples, 7 samples (8.1%, 3 Kinds) were domestic, and 10 samples (20.0%, 6 Kinds) were imported. The highest amount of sulfur dioxide residues was 3,167.94 mg/kg (Lycii Fructus) in the domestic samples. The detection frequency of sulfur dioxide by medicinal herb parts used, Rhizoma 25.7%, Flos 20.0%. Cortex 12.5%, Radix 15.3%, Fructus 7.6%, p-value 0.011. This results will be used as a basic data for the future legislation on the quality estimation and safety of medicinal herbs.

This study was conducted to determine the contents of heavy metal in commercial herbal medicines. The monitoring of lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury was carried out on 100 samples with 10 kinds of herbal medicines. The contents of heavy metal were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and mercury analyzer. The mean values of heavy metal contents for herbal medicines were Pb 1.87 mg/kg, As 0.39 mg/kg, Cd 0.26 mg/kg and Hg 0.021 mg/kg. Of the total samples, 19 samples (19%, 4 types) were violated the KFDA regulatory guidance of heavy metal in herbal medicines (9 samples on Pb, 10 samples on Cd). Among these 19 unsuitable samples, 16 samples were domestic and 3 samples were imported. Therefore, we need continuously monitoring to ensure confidence and safety for these herbal medicines.

The rhizomes and herbal medicines originating from Acorus gramineus, A. calamus, A. tatarinowii, and A. gramineus var. pusilus, show significant similarity, and the correct identification of species is very difficult. Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) were used to develop a reliable method for identification of these four species. Several distinct SCAR markers were developed from species-specific RAPD amplicons for each species. Furthermore, a useful molecular marker was established for multiplex-PCR, in order to the four species could be distinguished concurrently. These markers allow efficient and rapid identification of closely-related Acorus species and will be useful for standardization of herbal medicines.

Adenophora racemosa is recently reported as a new Korean endemic plant species. However, the phylogenetic relationship of this genus has been controversial due to the morphological similarity and frequent morphological change of aerial parts. To verify the phylogenetic position of Adenophora racemosa and phylogenetic relationship of genus Adenophora, we analyzed the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) using 21 individual of 6 Adenophora species, A. verticillata, A. divaricata, A. racemosa, A. remotiflora, A. stricata and A. tetraphylla. In comparative analysis of the nrDNA-ITS sequences, we could not found not only any species specific nucleotide sequence but also could not estimated their inter or intra species. In the phylogenic analysis based on the RAPD derived DNA polymorphism, Adenophora species were classified into four groups by clustering analysis of the UPGMA. These results suggest that the DNA fingerprinting based on RAPD is more suitable than nrDNA-ITS sequence for the phylogenetic analysis of Adenophora species.